Home Improvement

Hateyou · Sep 18, 2021

lurkingdirk said:
That sink looks really sharp. Good job man.

Thanks. First time installing a sink and faucet from scratch, cutting the countertop, installing cabinets. Was pretty easy, the template for the sink was like 1/4” too small though so that was annoying. Didn’t run into any other problems really.

Intrinsic · Sep 18, 2021

Hateyou said:
Thanks. First time installing a sink and faucet from scratch, cutting the countertop, installing cabinets. Was pretty easy, the template for the sink was like 1/4” too small though so that was annoying. Didn’t run into any other problems really.

What is the countertop / what did you use to cut it?

Also, going to need to see how those cabinet doors open to determine if you're a serial killer or not.

Hateyou · Sep 18, 2021

Intrinsic said:
What is the countertop / what did you use to cut it?

Also, going to need to see how those cabinet doors open to determine if you're a serial killer or not.

It’s just laminate. Used a laminate circular saw to cut it to length, carbide jigsaw blade for the sink hole, normal hole saw for the faucet.

Not sure what you mean about the cabinet doors, they just swing open.

Intrinsic · Sep 18, 2021

I was mostly joking about the doors hah. Have seen crazy set ups with doors opening in to each other and driving me crazy. I had to have my cabinet installers a few years back change some doors on mine b/c they way they had them made no sense. Opening up in to each other, alternating directions, etc.

Hateyou · Sep 18, 2021

Intrinsic said:
I was mostly joking about the doors hah. Have seen crazy set ups with doors opening in to each other and driving me crazy. I had to have my cabinet installers a few years back change some doors on mine b/c they way they had them made no sense. Opening up in to each other, alternating directions, etc.

Ah ok. Yeah those kind always break, weird hinges fall off then you can’t find replacements. Nothx. Cheap, stocked, off the shelf stuff for me.

Hateyou · Sep 19, 2021

I’m done, happy with the results.

lurkingdirk · Sep 19, 2021

Hateyou said:
I’m done, happy with the results.

View attachment 373391View attachment 373392

Yeah, you should be happy with that, well done!

What's going to go on the shelves?

Hateyou · Sep 19, 2021

lurkingdirk said:
Yeah, you should be happy with that, well done!

What's going to go on the shelves?

No idea, random shit the wife puts on there. Going to be some kind of picture behind the faucet. I’ll post the bookshelves and kitchen in a couple weeks once she has them all filled with stuff.

lurkingdirk · Sep 19, 2021

Hateyou said:
No idea, random shit the wife puts on there. Going to be some kind of picture behind the faucet. I’ll post the bookshelves and kitchen in a couple weeks once she has them all filled with stuff.

Don't let her buy too many cushions for the sofa.

McCheese · Sep 22, 2021

Newb electrical question:

My house has 5 outdoor outlets. They run from the basement, under the backyard, and come up with one on the back of the house, one in a shed, and the rest on poles at random spots in the backyard. They all have those little metal flip covers to protect them from rain. Anyway, one of the covers wasn't secure and during a particularly heavy rainstorm all those outlets lost power.

I checked the breaker box and the breaker tripped. However, it's a GFCI breaker and it refuses to reset (see picture). So I assume there is some issue with the wiring due to the water getting into the outlet. Is this something I could troubleshoot and fix myself, having absolutely zero electrical knowledge? I'm happy to buy tools within reason.

Dandai · Sep 22, 2021

McCheese said:
Newb electrical question:

My house has 5 outdoor outlets. They run from the basement, under the backyard, and come up with one on the back of the house, one in a shed, and the rest on poles at random spots in the backyard. They all have those little metal flip covers to protect them from rain. Anyway, one of the covers wasn't secure and during a particularly heavy rainstorm all those outlets lost power.

I checked the breaker box and the breaker tripped. However, it's a GFCI breaker and it refuses to reset (see picture). So I assume there is some issue with the wiring due to the water getting into the outlet. Is this something I could troubleshoot and fix myself, having absolutely zero electrical knowledge? I'm happy to buy tools within reason.

View attachment 373877

How long ago was this? Water is gonna take a while to evaporate in the socket so it could still be shorting out because of that.

Erronius · Sep 22, 2021

Easiest thing to check might be to loosen each cover to see if you get any water pouring out.

Also, those metal flip covers are honestly just garbage. You can't even use those covers in a lot of places anymore.

**important note** : make sure that your breaker isn't one of the ones that require you to fully push the breaker handle "OFF" before it will let you reset it. I can't remember if those Square D breakers are like that, but it's something to check. Otherwise if you just try flipping the handle from TRIPPED to ON, it'll just flip back to TRIPPED until you manually push the handle to OFF first.

If it's not the breaker, then you get to start troubleshooting LOL

BrutulTM · Sep 22, 2021

It won't reset? Or it immediately trips again when you reset it? If it won't reset at all you probably need a new breaker. If it immediately trips again then something is still wet as others have said.

lurkingdirk · Sep 22, 2021

All good answers to listen to. There's most likely still some water somewhere. In this situation what I would do is replace every one of those flip metal covers with something like this:

Then, let everything dry out for a couple weeks. If the breaker still won't reset, also replace the breaker.

Most likely if you give it time the breaker will reset. But all that means is that you have somewhere water is getting in, so replace your "waterproof" outdoor receptacle covers.

Also, FIVE outdoor outlets on one breaker?! That's too bad.

Zapatta · Sep 23, 2021

McCheese said:
Newb electrical question:

My house has 5 outdoor outlets. They run from the basement, under the backyard, and come up with one on the back of the house, one in a shed, and the rest on poles at random spots in the backyard. They all have those little metal flip covers to protect them from rain. Anyway, one of the covers wasn't secure and during a particularly heavy rainstorm all those outlets lost power.

I checked the breaker box and the breaker tripped. However, it's a GFCI breaker and it refuses to reset (see picture). So I assume there is some issue with the wiring due to the water getting into the outlet. Is this something I could troubleshoot and fix myself, having absolutely zero electrical knowledge? I'm happy to buy tools within reason.

View attachment 373877

Does the breaker click over then pop right after? Can you feel a 'mechanical' click when you close the breaker? If the breaker in the box doesnt have a 'physical' feel when you toggle it, it went bad. Change the unit at the panel.

Zapatta · Sep 23, 2021

McCheese · Sep 23, 2021

Thanks for the suggestions.

It's been over a month since the power in those outlets died. I have no clue why they have 5 of them out there. The one on the back of the house makes sense, and powering the shed, too. No idea why they've got 3 other ones sticking out of the ground scattered around. I bought a bunch of those improved covers, so I'll start putting those on all the outlets this weekend.

When I reset the breaker, I put it over to OFF and it clicks into place, then I push it back to ON but there's no click, it just kind of bounces back to the tripped position. So maybe a bad breaker? That video makes changing it seem easy enough.

lurkingdirk · Sep 23, 2021

McCheese said:
Thanks for the suggestions.

It's been over a month since the power in those outlets died. I have no clue why they have 5 of them out there. The one on the back of the house makes sense, and powering the shed, too. No idea why they've got 3 other ones sticking out of the ground scattered around. I bought a bunch of those improved covers, so I'll start putting those on all the outlets this weekend.

When I reset the breaker, I put it over to OFF and it clicks into place, then I push it back to ON but there's no click, it just kind of bounces back to the tripped position. So maybe a bad breaker? That video makes changing it seem easy enough.

If it has been a problem for this long I would recommend changing it. Changing a breaker is super simple. Just be alert and careful and you'll have no problems. I also recommend being sober.

Zapatta · Sep 23, 2021

McCheese said:
Thanks for the suggestions.

It's been over a month since the power in those outlets died. I have no clue why they have 5 of them out there. The one on the back of the house makes sense, and powering the shed, too. No idea why they've got 3 other ones sticking out of the ground scattered around. I bought a bunch of those improved covers, so I'll start putting those on all the outlets this weekend.

When I reset the breaker, I put it over to OFF and it clicks into place, then I push it back to ON but there's no click, it just kind of bounces back to the tripped position. So maybe a bad breaker? That video makes changing it seem easy enough.

When you toggle breaker on you should feel the spring inside load. No resistance = dead breaker. Even a dead short SHOULD let you lock the spring even if it's only for a micro second.

Zapatta · Sep 24, 2021

One other tip if you are going to do electrical like change a breaker in your panel, buy one of the pen style voltage testers to check for hot, dont get a off brand or a $15 one, spend $10-15 bucks more and get a name brand mid range one like a Klein or Fluke. The cheap ones wont get you killed, but they tend to false positive picking up voltage from neighboring shit instead of what you are working on and thats annoying as fuck and super counter productive.

or just become a real man and buy a multi-meter and learn to use it.

Also safety first, wear rubber sole shoes when working on a home panel. 220 doesnt tickle like 110

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